Ghosts Along The Field
by nirvana heart
Summary: Majora is dead. Termina is no longer threatened by a suicidal moon. The Skull Kid is left to live in his own guilt - until the most unexpected figure saves him. And both of them have a few lessons to learn.
1. Chapter 1

Pained breathing filled the air. Cloudy water, stained with blood, floated around them, ankle-deep. The water was still as the Fierce Deity, heart pounding with exhilaration and rage, inhaled sharply and felt no remorse over what had just happened.

Majora was dead.

The patterns on the wall moved and shifted like psychedelic hallucinations, beautiful yet disturbing at the same time. The things people saw in sepia dreams. A great meditation ruled over the interior of the Moon, now back in its place in the inky Termina sky.

Then the surroundings changed. A meadow. The sun lay warm upon it. The flowers changed colour with the leaves, some a heavenly white; between the pastel grass, patches of red and yellow leaves lay here and there. The Fierce Deity wasn't sure if the wave of beauty surrounding him would wash over him, too. His cheekbones jutted out a little from his face, arched red markings served as his eyebrows over icy, emotionless eyes; a pointed nose; white hair that was always messy; full lips and pearly teeth like petals. For the first time in a long time, the Fierce Deity's raging heart became calmer.

Then he looked down.

A short distance away from him lay the poor puppet of Majora, the Skull Kid. When he took over Link's body thanks to his mask, he could hear Link's thoughts about the Skull Kid. They weren't pleasant thoughts, the Deity expected that. But as time went on, as he traversed through the Moon, the Deity began to hear much more sympathetic thoughts about the Skull Kid.

None of this was his fault.

Link understood that; the Fierce Deity was glad he did. He liked conscientious and good-natured people, even though he could not justify himself to be the same way, and a pang of guilt went through him. But his past did not matter anymore – theoretically, he was long dead, and so was his race; a forgotten branch of Hylian people. They all had markings on their bodies and white eyes – sometimes, in rare cases, the eyes were not fully white but a very pale, icy blue instead. He was one such case, although his eye colour was indistinguishable from two feet away.

The Skull Kid must have been terrified, conscious or not. The Fierce Deity took pity, understanding his predicament. He decided to make himself look less threatening; placed his double-helix sword on the grass, removed his hat, and sat down next to the Skull Kid. He could have easily been seven feet tall, even sitting down didn't restrict his height.

When the Skull Kid woke, the Deity smiled at him.

* * *

><p>"Welcome back."<p>

It took a lot of self-control for the Skull Kid not to leap up and cry in fright. He simply lay there, exhausted and feeling awful, trying not to question anything with a voice that deep. A sweet baritone, tender but still hugely intimidating for the Skull Kid. He had only been half of Link's height, and that guy had…

Link.

"L-Link! Is he…what happened? Where am I? And…" He looked to his side to see a strange figure sitting next to him, looking quite calm and content. "…who are you?"

"Calm down, little one. All your questions will be answered if you take the time to listen."

The Skull Kid was rather surprised by the strange man's remark – didn't he know what he had done? He had been the only one so far to treat him with anything other than hatred and fear. He was a manifestation of what happened to children if they became lost in the Lost Woods. That was so far away. That was Hyrule…

"My name has been long forgotten with time, but some know me as the Fierce Deity," the Fierce Deity began. The Skull Kid liked his voice. He was intimidating, but his voice was kind. "You may call me whatever you wish. You were the unfortunate victim of Majora. He decided to use you as his puppet. Majora was the demon inside of his mask, which you wore. As a result, he took over your mind and made you do things you would not normally do. Link wore my mask, and we defeated Majora's incarnation. All is well in Termina now, little one. You have nothing to worry about. And your friend, Link…he has gone back to Hyrule. He asked his fairy to wish you well. He blames you for nothing."

The Skull Kid was stunned by his story. Why couldn't he remember anything? He remembered meeting that strange man with the masks, and then…he froze. He couldn't breathe. That explained everything. He had put on Majora's Mask for a laugh and then thrust Termina into chaos. Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. He hadn't meant to do it. Why wasn't the Fierce Deity – whoever he was, he didn't look normal at all – laughing at him? Or humiliating him? Why didn't he hate him? He had said it was all over. So what had he been doing? Where had the real Skull Kid been the whole time?

The idea that Link didn't blame him brought tears to his crimson eyes; the fact Link could go through hell twice and back and still not blame him for anything…he shut his eyes and let a few stray tears escape. He felt the Deity's enormous hand on his shoulder, a small comfort, and he appreciated it.

"…you didn't tell me where I was."

"Ah. Yes. We are still inside the Moon. It has returned to its rightful place in the sky. If you come with me, little one…" the Fierce Deity stood up and the Skull Kid nearly screamed at how tall he was, "…we can leave. I can take us out of here, and then to wherever you wish to go."

The Skull Kid gulped. "I…I don't…really have anywhere. To go, I mean. I…I mean…"

The Deity held up a hand to signal he had heard enough. "It is fine. You can come back with me."

The forest child blinked. He couldn't believe what the Fierce Deity had said at first – he isn't even that fierce, wonder where he got the name from – and then pinched his straw arm. No. He was awake. This was not a dream. Some stranger had actually just offered to let him stay wherever he lived.

"…okay. Th-thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

The Skull Kid had never lived with anyone before. If he did, he didn't remember it.

Living with the Fierce Deity was like nothing he had ever experienced in his short life. Unlike his name, the Fierce Deity was always gentle and kind, and each day, the Skull Kid wondered how on earth he was christened as 'Fierce'. The Skull Kid was treated like some sort of important guest, perhaps even royalty; the exact kind he had watched and deeply envied in Hyrule. The Fierce Deity lived in another dimension, as the Skull Kid had found out when they escaped the Moon together – a dimension very close to Termina, so much so it was almost identical. He didn't live in a very interesting area – the entire place was deserted and so, the Skull Kid really didn't have a lot to do except explore. But he'd had enough of that for a lifetime.

To add to his confusion over how the Fierce Deity had such a name, he found that the strange man was actually a very talented musician. His specialty, however, was the classical Terminian guitar; something the Skull Kid had overheard and had enjoyed the sound of. Often, the Skull Kid found himself lying or sitting next to the Deity as he improvised on the guitar; its sweet and soft tones never failed to calm him.

"That's good," the Skull Kid always said after the Deity had finished. "You should write that down."

And the Fierce Deity would always laugh gently. "Maybe I will, little one."

The Skull Kid was very pleased with himself when he saw the Fierce Deity that evening, bent over a desk in a wooden chair, carefully writing on a piece of paper. Silently, the Skull Kid had made his way over to look at what he was doing. To his even greater pride, the Deity was writing music. Each note was carefully drawn onto the paper, the stave measured out and the Skull Kid could see that the Fierce Deity had laboured over it. He had not meant for his suggestion to be a Herculean task but as time went on, the Fierce Deity kept on writing music, and more of it. He would play his pieces especially for the Skull Kid, and sometimes, he even sang. His voice was deep and from his belly, creating a pleasant sound for the ears and like the guitar he played so elegantly, it calmed the Skull Kid.

He wasn't sure if the Fierce Deity had noticed – _but he's so observant, nothing gets past him at all, so he probably has noticed – _but the Skull Kid had been happier lately. He wasn't sure if that was the relief of not being under Majora's awful spell anymore, or if it was simply because the presence of the Deity was calming in itself, or if it was for some other reason. Because the Fierce Deity had taken him in so willingly? That now he had…a _friend?_

The Skull Kid shook his head fiercely. No. The strange man wasn't his friend. He knew close to nothing about him. He was only with him because he had nowhere else to go.

That was right. He hoped.

* * *

><p>One calm evening, the Skull Kid came in, quite tired after the day's exploring. He had ventured eastward, so eastward he had come to what seemed to be the alternative to Ikana Canyon. The sunset was just the same as it had been in Termina: vibrant orange and very dusty. The warm breeze reminded him of Termina, but that was his old home: <em>this <em>was his home now. He knew he had gone far, and almost wanted to run away – but then the Fierce Deity's emotionless but somewhat gentle face came into his mind and he slapped himself mentally, knowing that he couldn't possibly do that. Not when he had already done so much to Termina, and to his conscience.

Once he was tucked into bed, the Fierce Deity came in to bid him goodnight and gave him his nightly cup of lavender tea. It was his own recipe and had been proven to help him sleep – it worked wonders. The Skull Kid had never slept so well. But instead of drinking the gorgeous warm concoction, he invited the Deity to sit down and talk.

The Skull Kid started. "I…listen, I don't want to be alone anywhere. I don't have anywhere to go. You seem like a lonely kind of guy, you'd understand, wouldn't you? That being alone sucks, and it hurts too. You know that. We both know it. Especially after I met…him…"

"Him?"

The Skull Kid sighed. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Link."

The Fierce Deity gave him a sympathetic smile. "You can tell me about it if you want. If not, I understand. Such memories have the power to open wounds thought to be healed."

"I don't damn get it! How can you be so…so _nice?_ Don't you know what I've done to Termina? Why are you so nice to me? No one else has been nice to me! And how the hell did you get the name 'Fierce Deity' when you're not even fierce?"

The Fierce Deity, understanding as ever, let the Skull Kid rant until he had exhausted his source of words. The Deity understood that the Skull Kid's vocabulary would not have been as extensive as his and thus, would have been difficult for him to accurately express his frustration and confusion.

"I feel a need to be good-natured," the Fierce Deity softly spoke, calming the Skull Kid. "I can answer your questions, little one, but only if you take the time to listen."

The Skull Kid, remembering their first meeting in which he had said the same thing, listened.

"I gave you the answer. I feel a need to be good-natured. I watch all over Termina. If I feel someone needs my help, I can give it to them. It is simple. Kindness is the greatest thing you can bestow upon another, little one. If someone is in need, lend them a helping hand. Do not wait for a thank you. True kindness lies within the act of giving without the expectation of something in return."

He hung his head a little. "Besides…I have done evil things in the past. Much, much worse than what Majora forced you to do. I feel there is no way I can justify myself. That is why I am so nice to you."

The Skull Kid said nothing, his silence an invitation for the Fierce Deity to keep talking. "I do know what you have apparently done to Termina. The way time works, little one…no one remembers a thing. I worked a few magic spells to erase the memories of those involved in the past few days. Their lives will continue as if nothing had happened. Any guilt you feel is needless."

_Well, if that's not relief, I don't know what is._

"…Fierce Deity, what…what do those markings mean?"

"These?" the Deity motioned towards the blue V-shaped mark on his forehead, and was satisfied at the Skull Kid's nod. "Oh. No, little one, these do nothing. I was simply born with them – like other members of my race. If a child in Termina or Hyrule was to be born with these markings, goodness knows what would happen."

"If a person like me was to go back to Hyrule and Termina, I would be shunned."

The Fierce Deity raised an eyebrow – his red marking, really, which served as one. His eyes glimmered a little, and the Skull Kid realised then that his eyes were not pupil-less and white, but instead were a very pale, icy blue. "Why is that?"

"Because," the Skull Kid shrugged. "I'm not…_normal."_

"Neither am I."

He paused. The Fierce Deity really did sound fierce then.

"You at least _look_ normal. Your eyes are weird, but that's about it."

"Why? What happened to you?"

The genuine concern in the Fierce Deity's voice pricked the Skull Kid's eyes but he blinked hard and fought them back. He gulped. Telling his story would reveal everything, hide no secrets from the Deity. Did he really trust this man to know everything about him? He couldn't deny that the answer was yes. The Skull Kid just couldn't explain his feelings. The Deity…was his _friend._

"Well…okay."

* * *

><p>So he told the Fierce Deity his story; everything he could remember up to the point of putting on Majora's Mask, and guilt shivered through him as he remembered hassling that salesman. He told the Fierce Deity of how he met Link, and how they became friends through a song he couldn't remember. <em>It was the song of a girl he was friends with. Her name? Sarah? Saria? Saria! That was it! <em>He told the Deity of how he wore the Skull Mask and felt like he could take over the world while wearing it. He spoke about how he befriended the Four Giants, and how they left him, and how he sought fun by causing harmless mischief. Then he met Tatl and Tael, and then they stole Majora's Mask. Once he had finished, the Fierce Deity had his eyes closed, but still evidently listening, with his arms folded tightly, holding himself. As if he just couldn't believe it. An awkward silence hung in the air, threatening the Skull Kid, and he didn't like it.

"That's it, I guess."

"I am sorry," the Fierce Deity said. "I am sorry that had to happen to you. My story is not much more uplifting, to say the least."

"Tell me."

The Fierce Deity told his own story, which the Skull Kid found fascinating like a fairy tale – he had been the kind and just ruler of a land far from Termina and Hyrule. His race had been the dominion of the land and he was the only one left. Then war was threatened on the land by the power-hungry Majora, ravenous to rule, and blackmailed the Deity. Majora killed his people, tortured them, and destroyed the land. Eventually, the Fierce Deity was driven to insanity by anger, and both were locked in a ferocious duel for three straight days – Majora wanted the Fierce Deity to die so he could rule; the Fierce Deity wanted Majora to die so that he could gain justice for his fallen people. A travelling musician saw the battle, which took place atop a mountain, and played a song which sealed both souls into a mask.

"…whenever someone wears that mask, I take over their body. My soul is sealed within it. But Majora is different. The mask _is_ his soul. That is why you didn't turn into Majora when you wore it."

"…you said that you went insane 'cause you were so angry."

The Deity hung his head. Averted his icy eyes. The Skull Kid knew he was stepping into forbidden ground, but he had just spilled his guts out and expected the Deity to do the same.

"I know. Remember I said I had done evil things? Much worse than what Majora forced you to do? Well, that is what happened. I couldn't stop. I was so angry. I was full of such awful, blackened rage that I didn't think it would ever end. I killed people. Innocent people of Termina, where Majora came from. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and so they met my blade. I destroyed a lot of Termina. It is restored now – I can assure you that hardly anyone will even remember it. But I did. I ruined a lot of lives, and killed a lot of people. I..I am not a just and kind ruler by any means."

At that point, the Fierce Deity broke down and buried his face into his hands, his entire body shivering as he tried not to cry, tried not to let his emotions through. But when he looked up at the wall, the Skull Kid gasped. His eyes were no longer nearly white – they were changing, fading and almost _pulsing_ with colour. They blended from icy blue to deep blue and then back again; the Skull Kid didn't know if that was normal or not. He decided not to ask.

"It's in the past now," the Skull Kid reassured, getting up and placing an arm around his neck – he was so small in comparison that he almost didn't reach. The height contrast was laughable. "for both of us. There isn't anything to worry about anymore."

The Fierce Deity nodded in agreement, but tears still spilled down his red-marked cheeks, stained with the tracks of his tears and his pain. "Yes…that is true…"

"One thing I don't get, though."

The past ruler looked up at him, blinking a few times, aware that his eyes were probably freaking the Skull Kid out. But he couldn't help it. He could change it as much as he could change his height. "About…about wh-why my eyes are changing colour?"

"No. Although, I'll admit, that is pretty cool. Keep that. No…I was wondering how…if Link's not wearing the mask, and you come out when he wears the mask…how are you here?"

"I can choose to be here…there is often so little to do that I go back to the mask," the Fierce Deity smiled. "It is like sleeping."

"You must dream a lot, then."

The Fierce Deity nodded, and it was clear then that their conversation was over. The Skull Kid had entirely forgotten about his lavender tea, and leapt to drink the sweet warmth before it became cold. To his joy, it was still hot, and he held the cup graciously in his hands, smiling a little. The Fierce Deity got up, and wiped his face with his ashen hands. The Skull Kid climbed back into bed, cup in hand, and smiled at him. "You'll be alright, then, big guy?"

"I will. Sleep well and enjoy your tea."

"…thanks for talking with me."

The Fierce Deity smiled broadly – the first time the Skull Kid had ever seen it. His heart welled in pride at the sight – he was smiling with his mouth open, showing off his white teeth. "You are good company. I enjoy talking with you. Sweet dreams, little one."


	3. Chapter 3

The Fierce Deity's version of his life story was not enough for the Skull Kid. He was ravenous for more information, and was happy to see that one of the rooms in the seemingly endless abode was a library, entire walls shelved with books; and with one quick glance, the Skull Kid knew he would never be able to read them all. Ever. He could barely read as it was; a lost child in the Kokiri Forest didn't exactly gain much in the ways of education. Then he thought of the Fierce Deity, thought of the books, and sighed – he could probably read these with no problem at all. He was a smart man and the Skull Kid was curious enough to know just how intelligent he was.

He climbed into a chair that was far too big for him; his feet didn't reach the floor, which he found very amusing. The room was peaceful, and although it was a huge room for such a small creature like himself, it was very comfortable with the gentle lamps letting the air hang like a soft blanket. The curtains were drawn, abolishing any knowledge of time, and he realised that was exactly why the Fierce Deity would go in the room. To escape and to forget he existed for a while.

The Fierce Deity found him there eventually, and seemed happy that his friend had an interest in books, and let the Skull Kid feel no humiliation when he confessed that he couldn't read very well.

"In that case," the Fierce Deity smiled as he sat down on another chair, and invited the Skull Kid to sit in his lap, "I will teach you. Take a book, any of them – the ones on the eastern wall are a little simpler."

Once the Fierce Deity had a book propped up so both of them could see it, the Skull Kid just had to comment. "How did you get so many?"

"Collected them over the years. My family were voracious readers. I followed in their steps. I found lots of them on my travels, too. It all adds up. My mother was a fantastic storyteller," the Fierce Deity explained. He half-closed the book to check the title again. "Ah! I like this one. _Myths and Legends of Holodrum and Labrynna._ These are often told to children as fairy tales, so we're starting on the right foot."

The Skull Kid was eager enough to simply have his friend – he rolled the word around his tongue, it sounded so _strange – _with him. He shuffled around to get comfortable, and the Fierce Deity moved to his advantage until both of them were satisfied.

"_For untold ages, the land of Holodrum has existed as a side effect of the Golden Goddesses' creation of Hyrule…"_

* * *

><p>"…<em>and so, Veran's threat was not to be believed, and she laughed as she died. Nayru travelled the warrior to his present time, and so Labrynna held peace in its domain once again."<em>

The Fierce Deity closed the book. Over the course of it – it wasn't a very long book, and ancient pictures illustrating the events took up much space – he had pointed out certain words, taught the Skull Kid their meaning, and told him to read along out loud. The forest child was ecstatic to learn, so happy that he couldn't stop shivering, but he stopped when the Deity laughed and told him to _calm down, little one, and let it wash over you like music._ So the Skull Kid did so, and he found himself holding a great calmness dear to his heart – similar to the calmness he had experienced in the Ikana Canyon-like place, but he felt no hesitancy or danger here like he had there. He let the stories of Holodrum and Labrynna wash over him like music – he particularly liked the one about the Temple of Seasons, buried in the deep underworld of Subrosia. He felt his mind expand and grow at the new knowledge of another land.

"It's a nice story."

"It is indeed. My mother used to tell it to me when I was a child."

"You never get bored of it?"

"Of course not," the Fierce Deity smiled. "I never get bored of any of my books. You don't bore of whatever you love, little one. That is why you see old couples together. Their love has triumphed over any difficulty they have faced. They are always finding something new about each other, every day. Whether it be the smallest thing or not."

The Skull Kid wanted to ask him a question, but was not sure if he was again, stepping into forbidden territory. He asked it anyway. "Fierce Deity…have you ever been in love?"

To the forest child's surprise and relief, the warrior actually smiled wider, and he realised it had been the longest he had gone without losing his smile. But his smile was sympathetic and somewhat happy. "I knew you would ask that at some point. Yes, little one, I have been in love. And it…" He closed his cold eyes to take a breath, and when he opened them, something had changed. The Skull Kid couldn't point it out, but his eyes looked a lot warmer than they had before. Like the furthest blue of the Termina horizon, on the Great Bay. "It was a wonderful feeling. Every time I saw her, I felt like…like the air had been removed. I felt like standing on the summit of the highest mountain of my land, and declaring my happiness. She was beautiful. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen; more passionate than Din, more gentle than Nayru herself…that was how I saw her. She made me feel like I could do…anything. But…" He sighed a little. "…it was not to be."

"What happened?"

The Skull Kid couldn't help but let the knot in his stomach tie itself into a tight twist – he knew that whatever the Fierce Deity had to say about the love of his life, it would have a happy ending.

"…she was taken from me. Majora…he kidnapped her. It was one of the reasons I was…driven so insane. That he had taken the only thing left for me. My threads of sanity had been dreadfully frayed…and when he took her, I…exploded. That is the only word I can think of."

"Did he…?"

"…somewhat. When Majora fell, I rescued her. But she was a shell. He had done awful things to her. Unspeakable things that went beyond even torture. She would not speak and she refused to be near anyone. Eventually, she would let me be near her, and hold her. But she was just…she…"

The Skull Kid searched for the Fierce Deity's hand. "You don't have to tell me."

"No," the Fierce Deity gave a watery smile, his face weak with love and regret. "No, I…I will tell you. I feel you have a right to know. I have nothing to hide from you. But…but she…my love…she couldn't handle the fear. I…woke one morning, to find that she was not next to me. Something was not right. The door was wide open, there were no guards…I looked in every room, to find her in one of the bathrooms…and…"

He closed his eyes.

The Skull Kid needed no confirmation over what had happened. It was all explained in the Fierce Deity's once emotionless eyes. The ice in his iris glistened with tears, forming icicles in his heart that stabbed him repeatedly and infected him with a cold regret and guilt, one that cruelly froze the rest of the warm emotions that would try and crack through the ice. They ran like boiling blood in his veins, but nothing could ever break through until now. For years had he suppressed the emotions of his suicidal lover; he had never fully understood her torment as much as he thought he had. He never knew what was going through her mind until that dark, dark day when he discovered her motionless body in the bathroom, surrounded by empty bottles, their bottoms rimmed with what remained of green potion. She had overdosed. Her body couldn't handle their magic and had cast their own death spell on her. It would have been a slow death. Painless, the Fierce Deity didn't know. All he remembered was holding her lifeless body close to his own, looking up at the tiled ceiling, he couldn't force himself to look at her and he remembered screaming, shrieking, drawing the full attention of his guards. But he had not needed them, he had needed no one but that woman in his arms.

"I'm sorry."

The Skull Kid's little voice broke the ice of his dreams and he returned to reality, blinking several times and letting the tears fall. He did not know he was even capable of crying. He placed an arm around the Skull Kid, bringing him closer, and then proceeded to tell him the story of his lover. He explained that after Majora was slain, she had tried to kill the Fierce Deity on several occasions. To the Skull Kid's surprise, he never, ever fought back, and accepted each blow. His guards arrested her without his knowing, and he told the story of how he won her back.

* * *

><p><em>"M-My Lord! Please excuse our – our late arrival. We beg your forgiveness. We hope we did not wake you so abruptly. It is a late hour."<em>

_"It is fine. I was awake anyway. I would much prefer if our prisoner was allowed to walk on her own without your assistance. She is not an animal."_

_"Yes, your highness. We shall not keep you any longer. Your majesty can sleep knowing that we will be watching over this girl all night, so there is nothing to worry about."_

"_Wait."_

_"Your majesty?"_

_"Do not take her to the dungeons. I will not have her in such an awful place. Take her to the library. I have something very important to discuss with her."_

_"But your majesty! She tried to kill you!"_

_"She is hardly much of a threat to me, captain. Your concern is appreciated, but in the unlikely event of her attacking me, I am sure I will be quite alright."_

_"But –"_

_"That is an order! This cannot wait, and nothing will persuade me otherwise. Now, if you do not mind, please release my wife from her chains."_

* * *

><p>"You called her your wife," the Skull Kid said. "…but you said you weren't married to her!"<p>

The Fierce Deity smiled weakly. "I know. That is why they got away with arresting her."

* * *

><p>"<em>What have they done to you, you poor girl? I am so sorry. Please. Speak to me."<em>

"…_I have nothing to say."_

"_Of course you do, and of course this matters. Don't tell me that it doesn't. I don't know anything you are going through, so why don't you tell me? What has Majora done to you? You can trust me. I promise you that at the very least."_

"…_why? Why are you doing this?"_

"_To help you. Does there need to be any other reason?"_

"_I feel no happiness…in anything. Not like I used to. I…I can't…"_

"_No. Don't talk such nonsense."_

"_There isn't anything left for me here anymore! The only reason those…those guards put me in the dungeons and don't care is because it's not treason. Because I'm…I am not your wife."_

"_Then marry me."_

"…_wh-what?"_

"_Marry me. Be my queen. I do not want to rule this land if I cannot have you with me. I will not have my guards treat my princess with such rudeness. They'll be fired immediately. Here. No, don't back away from me. I'm only going to hold your hand. Nothing more. Unless you want me to."_

"_..y-you mean it? M-Marry you?"_

"_Yes, darling."_

* * *

><p>It was clear what happened at the end of the story. The Skull Kid questioned nothing. Alongside gaining himself and his people justice, was the Fierce Deity so kind because he wanted his lover to be proud of him? The Skull Kid had never really thought of anything like that before and he felt a great sadness well in his heart because of it.<p>

It was difficult for him to picture the Fierce Deity surrounded by insanity and loneliness. It was difficult for him to imagine the man as anything but the kind and just ruler he had once been. He could imagine great battles involving him, he could see those grand images in his head – but he couldn't see the Fierce Deity being _insane_ with anger. He couldn't even see the Deity being mildly pissed off at something trivial. It was so strange and he couldn't understand it. Was he even talking to the same Fierce Deity?

A few hours had passed since they had stopped reading about the lands of Holodrum and Labrynna, and the Skull Kid couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly as his stomach rumbled.

"Come on, little one," the Fierce Deity smiled, his cheeks stained with silver columns of tears. "We'll eat."

* * *

><p>For the next few days, the Skull Kid found himself longing for a new environment. He enjoyed living in such a safe place, but even with the Fierce Deity around, it was so awfully lonely. He liked to explore, but the constant wish to find someone to talk to was never granted, and he found himself translating his sorrow into exploration. He could become lost for a while; sometimes physically lost, but usually mentally. The Fierce Deity would have to come out sometimes to find him – by no means a difficult task, but he too sensed the want in the Skull Kid.<p>

One peaceful day, with birds chirruping softly in the afternoon blue, the Fierce Deity found the Skull Kid outside in the garden, and sat beside him, reminiscent of their first meeting.

"How would you like to go back to Termina?"

The Skull Kid looked up with one red eye, blinking a few times to make sure he had heard right. Go back to Termina? Go _back?_ He wanted to genuinely question the sanity of the Fierce Deity then, but realised what he meant. He meant making a fresh start. Finding a place to live, maybe even…friends. The Skull Kid had learned, over his time with the Deity, that friends were really all he needed. Both of them understood that. And both had lessons to learn from each other.

"…yeah. Yeah, let's go back."


	4. Chapter 4

"Have no fear, little one. All is well in Termina."

"…it's not that I'm scared of."

To be honest, the Skull Kid's biggest fear in going back to Termina was the threat of meeting Tatl and Tael again. He knew they would have been lurking around somewhere in the vast Termina Field, where he usually hung out with them – but he had a great fear of meeting them, he did not want to be reminded of what had gone on in those three days in Termina. Summer meant that the moon came out at 8PM, while there was still light. Some of his favourite memories had all been in a single long, lazy summer day – back before he met the salesman and stole his mask.

The Fierce Deity felt the same. Long before Majora seized his land by fear and tyranny, he and his lover had often travelled to empty Termina places for a short break, leaving any affairs of the land in the hands of his most trusted advisors. Those had been some of the happiest times in his life – waking up to that white-haired beauty and spending the long days and languid evenings with her. She had been of his race, and he swore there was nothing more beautiful than seeing her pale, naked body in full view underneath him, caressed by long white hair, with the red and blue markings on her slim body.

He thought of it now, and decided he would not tell the Skull Kid. He had confined all of his secrets to the forest child, feeling no hesitancy at doing so. But this, this was too important and much too private for anyone else to know about. It felt nice, though; to have something to himself. To have a little halcyon memory to escape to when he needed it.

They were in Termina now, and the familiar warm breeze sated both of them. The Fierce Deity breathed in deeply, happy to be back in an acquainted land. They were just north of Clock Town, but not north enough to be near Snowhead. It would only be a matter of minutes before they reached Clock Town, and so their small adventure began.

It was just as they were about to enter North Clock Town when the Skull Kid stopped.

"What is it?" the Fierce Deity smiled. "We have nothing to worry about."

"We do, kind of," the Skull Kid sighed. He beckoned the Deity to stand next to him. "Look at you. You're, like, seven feet tall. How is that not going to draw any attention? And it's not just your height. You said that goodness knows what would happen if someone was to walk Termina or Hyrule with your markings. And what you're wearing? You look like you're about to…why are you _laughing?"_

The Fierce Deity's laugh was deep and genuine, and he couldn't help but cover his mouth with his hand, and then retract it. "I do not know. I shouldn't be, though. I really didn't think of that."

"What _would_ happen if some kid was wandering about with your markings?"

"Nothing bad. There would just be a _lot_ of uproar. They would go crazy, wondering how on earth it had happened."

"So what do we do? We can't just wander in!"

"We can. Why don't we have a little fun? See how everyone reacts. I have missed it. Being sealed in a mask is not a lot of fun, as you probably know. We won't be doing any harm."

"But—"

"Do not worry. Do you know how famous I am in these lands?"

The Fierce Deity smiled, and the Skull Kid knew he didn't mean to be vainglorious. He, too, couldn't deny the fact that he hadn't had any _harmless_ fun for a long time. Being Majora's puppet wouldn't have been fun, even if he could remember it, and he understood how the Fierce Deity felt. _Besides,_ he shrugged mentally,_ what could happen? Nothing that big. Nothing will happen._

The warrior offered his hand out, for the first time. The Skull Kid took it nervously, but smiled in gratitude and appreciation.

* * *

><p>"Halt! Who goes there? Have you an errand in this part of town?"<p>

The Fierce Deity stood to his full height – which the Skull Kid just couldn't believe; to him, this man was a giant – and cleared his throat. The guard, who had to be around six foot, was intimidated by this huge stranger who had decided to come into Clock Town. For their own safety, people were not allowed to leave unless they were armed or had an errand elsewhere. It was the way of life. It was accepted. And for more safety reasons, people were not allowed in unless they, too, had important business.

"I do not. My name is Oni and I am a traveller. Some know me as the Fierce Deity."

The Skull Kid hid as best as he could behind the Fierce Deity's leg, assuming that 'Oni' was something he came up with on the spot or perhaps even his real name. He rolled the name around his tongue. It suited him.

"The Fierce Deity? That warrior died hundreds of years ago. Your cheap impersonation is worth nothing here, sir, and I suggest that you leave."

The Fierce Deity did not hesitate. "I can prove it to you, kind sir. While ruling a distant land long ago, I watched Clock Town build itself. Your current mayor is Mayor Dotour, but long ago, the mayor was his father, and his father before that, and so on and so forth. The very first mayor of Clock Town was a corrupt man who refused to support anything his townspeople would suggest to him and he was very much disliked. At the Carnival of Time, people threw things at him and that was when his son took over. The Great Fairy lives in this part of Town and my errand would be to speak with her."

The guard looked a little defeated, but he was unsure. "That proves that you read up on your history."

The Fierce Deity brushed white hair out of his face to reveal his markings. "Feel these, kind sir. There you go! You see? They are not painted on, or drawn on. I was born with these markings. Look at my eyes, too. Aren't they cold and icy? Well, a long time ago, people like me worked and lived in these lands. I ruled a distant land with my queen who was taken by Majora. You know of him, yes? Good. That proves that you, too, read up on your history. However, one fact is incorrect. The Fierce Deity never died. His soul was sealed into a mask and I am a manifestation of that soul. He never truly died. My impersonation may look cheap, but it is true."

_Yes!_ The Fierce Deity had beat the guard well and truly. The guard stepped to his full height and like the Deity had, cleared his throat. "My apologies, sir. North Clock Town lies this way. If you need assistance, be sure to notify myself or one of the guards at the other posts in town."

The Fierce Deity nodded. "I will. Thank you, sir."

* * *

><p>"That was <em>awesome!"<em> the Skull Kid cried over a cup of white tea. They had discovered a small shop owned by a sweet old lady who liked the Fierce Deity's good-natured talk so much she gave him two cups all for free, saying she had never met such a noble man in a long time. He thanked her profusely and they dined al fresco, sitting on a peaceful balcony in East Clock Town, looking down at the hustle and bustle of the biggest city in Termina.

"Thank you. Drink up, little one. This is good for you," the Fierce Deity smiled happily, proud of their achievement. He was happy more for the Skull Kid's happiness rather than his own – he could walk around Termina as much as he liked. But the Skull Kid was small and vulnerable. The Fierce Deity felt a great need to protect him at all costs.

"I will. But, just one thing. You said your name was…what was it…'Oni' or something?"

"Yes," the Fierce Deity closed his eyes and opened them slowly. "That was my name. I had a multitude of names over my life. Oni was my birth name – in our ancient language, it meant 'god' or 'warrior' or the like. My lover called me that, too. By my people I was known as the Fierce Deity, as you know me. Some called me the White Knight. I am sure there were more…"

His sentence trailed off absently, but the Skull Kid knew he wasn't really trying to remember what people called him.

"…if you don't mind me asking, what was your lover's name?"

Again, the Fierce Deity smiled, and the Skull Kid never tired of it. It was a comfort, really.

"Her? Her name was Mado."

The Skull Kid was quite taken aback. He'd never thought he could ever hear and feel such beauty in four letters, but for a moment, he really could picture that white-haired, white-eyed, beautiful woman that the Fierce Deity had talked so high of. He really could picture the Fierce Deity and Mado, locked together in an embrace. And he could feel it, he could really feel his friend's longing for his lover. He saw it in the Fierce Deity's emotionless eyes that hid so much. The Skull Kid was beginning to break the ice and unmask his real emotions. He…

_Unmask._

That was it.

"…Fierce Deity, there's…what happens after you die?"

The Fierce Deity didn't understand why he had asked such a question, but did his best to answer anyway. "I…well, there's a spirit world. Once you die, your soul sheds its corporeal form, and you can roam the world as a spirit, as you please. A different dimension, like where I would live in my time here. Why do you ask, little one?"

"…I was just wondering," the Skull Kid quickly replied, and then decided to let his curiosity pangs be known. "…she's dead, isn't she? Mado. Well…couldn't we find her? If it's a different dimension, can't we go there?"

The Fierce Deity shook his head. "Neither of us are dead."

"But you-!"

"Being sealed inside of a mask is not the same as dying. Although…although the loneliness would perhaps mean death would be a blessing. I am still alive, even if barely, inside of a mask. It is lonely, but since I am asleep most of the time, I am not usually awake to feel it."

"…and you'll never die?"

"Unless I die in this form, no. If I died right here, right now, I would probably just go back…"

The Fierce Deity caught on to what the Skull Kid was saying and his eyes widened in surprise, completely stunned by the realisation. That was all it took. If he died, no more would he have to return to the mask and live a life he, honestly, did not want to live very much. He had been sealed into the mask when Majora was slain – but before that, he had taken Mado and he had rescued her, still alive and still living a normal life. Something was missing, and he was sure she had known about it…but he never got to ask her. It was all so damn complicated. He felt so empty, literally hollow, whenever he decided to come out of the mask's confines for a while. And that emptiness had been translated into sorrow and remorse when Mado took her own life.

The Skull Kid felt some kind of regret for suggesting such a thing, but the Fierce Deity had not lashed out yet and he couldn't deny the fact he knew it wouldn't happen. The Skull Kid knew that if he had talked to the Fierce Deity weeks ago, he would have laughed at the idea of him being selfless and kind. But now the full manifestation of his noble spirit was enough to fill the Skull Kid's heart with unbearable determination to make the Deity feel like he belonged and was loved in the world. The Skull Kid was his only friend, and the Deity his, and they both needed each other. What would the Skull Kid have done without his hospitality? Surely, without the warrior, he would have died.

"I felt so angry that Majora had taken her from me," the Fierce Deity spoke, interrupting the Skull Kid's train of thought. "that I raided his entire lair. I took everything of value. Jewels, gold, currency, black diamonds, you name it, I found it. When I rescued her, she didn't want to see me. But I was persistent. I couldn't just…just _give up,_ after that…and I came to love her even more, in such depth I never thought was even possible."

He swallowed, his throat clenched, and he continued. "…the day she d-died, I got to her too late. She couldn't say anything. I begged her to. But she…she managed to smile…for the first time in a long time. And I wanted to tell her of the things I would do for her, just to have her smile…but I needed to say nothing…and then she…she shivered in my arms and then she was gone."

"So why didn't you? Why didn't you just live a normal life? Then you would have died, and—"

"I had to kill Majora for her. I couldn't let that thing live while my queen lay dead; her demise was brought indirectly by his words. And so, my insanity got worse and then history was made. We were locked in battle for three days, then that musician came along, and punished both of us. That was what the mask was. A punishment. And so I would never be able to see Mado again…"

He paused.

"…then Link came along and woke me up."

* * *

><p>Both had had enough conversing about their pasts for one day, and so they spent the day happily causing harmless fun by freaking out the residents of Clock Town with the Fierce Deity's enormous height. Their presence caused rumours and gossip to spread all over town, and it spread quickly. By the late afternoon, knowledge of their existence got back to them and they couldn't help but laugh.<p>

They ran to their balcony in East Clock Town after a few small children had caught sight of the Deity and wanted to know more about him, and they had chased the duo all over town. The Fierce Deity, not to anyone's surprise, was very agile and an incredibly fast runner. He sat the Skull Kid on his shoulder, told him to hold on tight, and then they were off. To the Skull Kid, it felt like flying, and he let himself whoop and shriek in joy as the adrenalin coursed through the both of them as they laughed and escaped from the fanatical children.

"Whew," the Fierce Deity gasped, bending to hold his knees in exhaustion, and the Skull Kid leapt from his shoulder and landed skilfully on the ground. "That was strange."

"To say the least."

"Do you know them?"

The Skull Kid did. They had been the Bombers, a group of young kids dedicated to helping others. And they didn't like the Skull Kid – that was okay, because he equally disliked them back. He didn't want to let the Fierce Deity know that, so he simply shook his head. All five of the Bombers represented painful memories to him and he didn't want to endure them again.

"It's getting awfully dark. I wonder if…oh!"

The Fierce Deity looked down to see a lot of commotion over in South Clock Town. Fireworks were exploding into the air and then dissipating into the night sky like momentary mood swings; people were applauding and cheering, celebrating something that neither had any idea about. The Fierce Deity sat the Skull Kid on his shoulder and they moved, from rooftop to rooftop, until they could get a clear view of South Clock Town. The warrior sat down and the Skull Kid stayed put on his shoulder.

"Best seats in the house," the Skull Kid grinned. "This must be a party or something. The Carnival of Time's already been!" He couldn't help but shiver internally at the thought of the Carnival of Time – that was only mere hours before the Moon had become suicidal and wanted to fall. The hours had gone by so fast then…but he tried to forget about it and tried to enjoy the moment he had.

Cheery, joyful music played from some floats and they watched some Dekus play the music of their own people from the south of Termina. The Skull Kid sighed. He hadn't heard music in a long time. Music had the power to bring warmth to even the coldest of hearts, and he was sure that even his friend would be able to enjoy it.

He was unsure of it, but he was scared that the Fierce Deity's plague of insanity would come back to haunt him like a nightmare, somehow, and he would lash about. The Skull Kid did _not _want to see his real power – he was intimidated enough by height alone, and the thought that the Fierce Deity could have probably crushed an adult with his bare hands sent a shiver down his spine, and he let it be known through a small gulping noise. For the first time since he'd known him, the Skull Kid actually felt genuinely scared of the man sitting next to him.

"Are you alright, little one?"

He turned to see the Fierce Deity's smiling, gentle face at him, and any fear he held was immediately vanquished. He nodded, and the warrior invited him to sit in his lap. The Skull Kid jumped from his shoulder and sat happily, enjoying the best seat the parade had to offer.


	5. Chapter 5

"…_oh! I…I didn't know anyone was here!"_

"_Shh, Oni. It's alright. I won't listen if you don't want me to. It's…it's just so lovely to hear someone playing piano! I didn't know you played!"_

"_Heh…thank you, Mado. I…you didn't know? I write music from time to time…"_

"_The one you played! Was that yours?"_

"…_y-yes, it—"_

"_It was beautiful, Oni! Music has the power to make people feel all kinds of things, doesn't it? Will you play it again? For me?"_

"_Okay, darling…"_

* * *

><p>"<em>M-My Lord, something terrible has happened, involving your—"<em>

"_Mado! What's happened to her? Where is she?"_

"_We sought to awaken you instantly, and call for the doctor, and—"_

"_A doctor? What? Where is she? Mado!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Oni?"<em>

"_Yes?"_

"…_is it wrong? Is it wrong for me to love you when…when I am not your wife? You're…you were supposed to marry some princess…not a commoner, like me. Is it wrong?"_

"_I am not your lover for any reason but love. And love, darling, has no reasons. It has no right or wrong. Love is love… imagined…I am glad I met you rather than have ourselves forced together…princess or not, darling, you are still the most beautiful woman I've set my eyes on."_

"…_then show me. Join your body with mine…and show me."_

"…_y-you mean…?"_

"_Yes…"_

"_Mado, I—"_

"_Shh…"_

* * *

><p>"…<em>Oni, is there anything I can get for you?"<em>

"_No….no, no thank you."_

"_You seem…troubled. Perhaps you should lie down for a while."_

"_It's not that…th-there's…you are a friend of mine. A good friend. My most trusted of all. You do so much for me, and I can only try to return your kind ways…but I need you…to do something for me once more."_

"_Anything, Oni."_

"_Look after the land for a while. I…have to go away."_

"_What?"_

"_I need some time alone."_

"_Oni, I understand you're going through a traumatic time, but this is too sudden, and…don't look away from me. I know what you're really going to do. You're going to the mountain to kill Majora, aren't you?"_

"_I outright refuse to let that monster live while my wife lies dead!"_

"_He will be arrested and brought to justice. He will never see the light of day again, not where he's going. It will happen within a matter of time."_

"_No. Indeed not. And a matter of time isn't fast enough. I will not have him here in these dungeons. He will not go anywhere near here. He does not deserve even the peace that death grants. But I am going to give it to him, this very night, whether I return or not."_

"_Oni, listen—"_

"_No! You listen to me! Don't you understand? You've never had the love of your life so cruelly taken from you, have you? In front of your very eyes? And what makes it worse is that it was her choice! My mind will never be at rest – what was she thinking? Was it really her conscious decision or was it Majora's words coming from within? When did she start thinking such awful things? Did she wake up that morning and know that I would never be able to see her smile again? You don't know what it's like at all, having to wake up next to nobody! You don't know what it's like to cry at night, wishing more than anything that they could come back, but you know damn well it's not going to happen! I almost ended my own life that day and this is the only way I can ever do her justice! The best thing you can do for me right now is look after this country in my absence!"_

"…_alright. I'll take care of it all and talk it over with the others. Are…are you sure you want to do this?"_

"_I've never been more sure of anything in my life."_

"…_I understand. I can only imagine your pain, dear friend. I hope you are successful. If you need assistance, I will send help immediately."_

"…_thank you. Thank you, my friend."_

* * *

><p>"…<em>you return."<em>

"_Don't you dare talk to me! Not after all you've done! Draw your weapon and fight with me until sunrise!"_

"…_I heard that she ended her life. So typical."_

"_I said don't – you – dare! Fight me like the man you claim to be! Are you too scared all of a sudden? Because you know that this is the last night you live?"_

"_Very well, White Knight. I will fight you. Until sunrise. A battle to the death. Heh…don't you know that you, too, are essentially following the same path as your wife? By offering yourself, you, too, are committing suicide…"_

"_Shut up! Just shut up! This is the night you die, Majora, and count yourself lucky!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>I am an advisor of the King and he has instructed me to give you a message in case he does not return…he has been gone for two days now. I am certain that he will return in the next day, although we have had no contact with him whatsoever...he instructed me to tell you all to hold your hearts high and believe in yourselves during this dark time for all of us. Majora reigns freely, and our King has gone to take him down. We hope for the King's success…"<em>

"_It has been four days…the King still has not returned…"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Mado…Mado, darling, look at me…it's me, it's me, Oni…"<em>

"…_O-Oni?"_

"_Yes…oh, darling, what has he done to you? Speak to me…please…I won't hurt you…"_

"_Don't touch me!"_

"_Mado…?"_

"…_please…I…"_

"…_come here. I won't hurt you…no one will, anymore…"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Oni, would you ever like children someday?"<em>

"_Children? …yes, maybe. Yes. Yes, I would…I would like that very much. Why do you ask?"_

"…_no reason. The wife of the King is supposed to give him many children."_

"_You may not be my wife yet, darling, but that is no matter. I am your lover for love rather than the sole purpose of reproduction. I see it the other way around, though. One day, my love, you will have beautiful, perfect children, like yourself…and I will give them to you."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Oni, darling, what is the matter?"<em>

"_N-Nothing…I…I just had a bad dream…I'm fine, Mado…"_

"_No. No, you're not. You're shivering. Look! Come here – come close. There! You'll be nice and warm there. And you have me to protect you!"_

"…_you're adorable. Thank you, sweetheart. I feel better."_

"_Care to tell me what your dream was about?"_

"…_you were taken from me. That was it. It was like you didn't even exist. I asked everybody I saw where you were, but no one had even heard of you. Not even your closest friend. You were like my secret. But I wished for you to be real, and I thought I'd woken up. It turns out I had woken up in the dream into another layer of my dream. Then I started to cry, and woke up for real…"_

"_That won't happen. I'll stay by your side. I promise."_

"_I promise, too."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Tick, tock, goes the clock; neither of you have a chance. Tick, tock, goes the clock; as we watch Majora's dance. Tick, tock, goes the clock; the White Knight is nuts from the shock. Tick, tock, goes the clock; into the mask your souls will lock…"<em>


	6. Chapter 6

Whilst travelling home alongside the Fierce Deity, the Skull Kid couldn't help but feel more and more fascinated by the white-eyed man's story. The moon – which no longer had a place - sat high in the sky, casting down a white road for those who followed it, and the Skull Kid couldn't help but notice that the Fierce Deity's wonderful icy eyes were just like the moon; a lunar eclipse every time he blinked. The Skull Kid was silent as he pondered over this realisation, but knew there probably was no connection between the moon and the Fierce Deity. _But still,_ the little one thought, _it's pretty damn cool at the same time._

"Are you hungry, little one?"

"Uh..."

The Fierce Deity chuckled and it filled the Skull Kid with lovely feelings of safety and love. "You were daydreaming."

"Who wants to know?"

"I daydream a lot," the Fierce Deity said. The Skull Kid made himself comfortable – he knew that the Deity was about to tell him another life story. He enjoyed them, though: he never bored of the white-eyed man. There was so much to know and learn about him, but then the Skull Kid wondered: _is it the same for me? Is there...no, are there...that's what he told me to say...are there more things to learn about me, too?_

"And just what do you daydream about?"

"Irrelevant things. I often just find myself staring in a certain direction and remember any adventures I had there. I was looking at Ikana Canyon yesterday, and remembered exploring Stone Tower Temple. There was a legend that people would be able to speak with their dead ones, but it has been a forgotten one with time. People used to live in Ikana Canyon, too, did you know that?"

"I don't get why anyone would _want _to live there. It gives me the creeps."

"It was a peaceful place. It still is, but unfortunately, the air is now stained with the blood of a certain slaughter, many years before both of us were born. Do you know which one?"

The Skull Kid racked his brain for information and just couldn't find it. Tatl and Tael had told him about this one, oh, what _was _it, why couldn't he remember, it wasn't a hard name to remember, and he really didn't want to appear stupid in front of the Fierce Deity and-

"The Battle of the Garo!"

Even though he was sitting on his shoulder, the Skull Kid felt the Deity smile. "That's right. A long time ago, the Garo were sent from an enemy nation to spy on Ikana Canyon, for the canyon was rich in diamonds, and other such minerals. It used to be a very successful mining area. But, the Garo were incredibly jealous of that."

"And the Ikana people told them to leave?"

"Not exactly. The King at the time was my great-grandfather. My grandfather, his son, told me that he was an incredibly strict ruler – but also very protective of his land, to the point of almost greed. He gave the Garo spies a few days to get out of Termina, or war between them would rage. Well, the Garo stayed, and so, the Terminian Army at the time slaughtered almost the entire race."

"Pretty brutal."

"It was. I never knew him, but I resented him when I found out about it. I fail to understand why the death of an entire race is justifiable in order to preserve a few diamonds."

"They're worth a ton, though, aren't they? The Ikana diamonds. All the rich people have them."

"They're worth a lot of money. I was lucky enough to go down to the mines once and strike a diamond."

"Did you sell it?"

The Deity smiled again. "No. I gave it to Mado."

The Skull Kid felt his stomach heave as he knew they were stepping into painful territory. He almost resented Mado for dying – _how could you leave him here, all alone? - _ but kept that thought to himself. He wondered what on earth had been going through Mado's mind as she swallowed fatal amounts of green magic, scalding her insides and sizzling on her smooth skin. How could she? How _could _she? The Skull Kid had never really lost anyone before. Not like _that._ He'd never had a lover, and didn't plan on having one, ever. But he didn't understand how the Fierce Deity could have given that woman an Ikana diamond, given himself to her, and was offering to make her a damn queen but no, she decided to end her life all because of Majora. Now, the Skull Kid was sure that Mado had been a lovely person. And it dawned on him that unless he went through what she did, he would never understand why she did what she did. It was in the past, and neither of the two could bring her back. He decided to keep those thoughts locked away somewhere in the back of his mind.

His fears were not to be met, however, as the Deity continued to tell him about Ikana Canyon and his lover. As he talked, the Skull Kid became more and more sure that Mado really had loved the Fierce Deity, and while he still thought she was selfish for leaving him alone, he began to understand a little bit more of her torment. And, from the bold Deity that had made the Skull Kid that bit more courageous, he spoke of something he would not have dreamed of doing a few days ago.

"I just keep thinking of what in the world was going through her head. When she..."

Silence.

_I probably shouldn't have said that._

"I wish I knew, too. But, I guess we never will know. That is something I have come to accept."

* * *

><p>The stars in the night sky were clear and bright; so, the two sat down to look at them just outside of Clock Town. The moon shone down beautifully on Snowhead, illuminating the glittering snow, while Ikana Canyon lay dead and still to the right. The silence was almost painful for the Skull Kid – he was used to sleeping in a forest that was teeming with life and never, ever silent. He knew that the Fierce Deity was quite the opposite. They had been outside for a good few hours now, and it had to be far past midnight.<p>

But time, now, was irrelevant.

"...Oni?"

The Deity grinned at the mention of his real name. "Yes?"

"If you could...if you could talk to Mado, right now. What do you think you would say?"

Both were silent as the Deity was lost deep in thought. What _would_ he have said? Now that the Kid mentioned it, he really had no idea what he would have said to Mado. He would have kissed her endlessly; that was a given. But _talking_ to her...? He did want to ask her what she was thinking as she died. Did she regret it suddenly? Was she at peace, now, with no more threats from Majora? Did she miss him, and did she still love him? Had she ever loved him...? The Deity shook his head at that thought, not caring that the Skull Kid was curious about it. No. Mado had loved him. She told him, constantly. She had shown it through a way no one else ever could. Why had he thought that – because she had left him? He, too, nearly resented her for killing herself – but then wished more than ever, wished so hard that his heart literally gave him a sharp twinge, that he could have protected her and held her close to his body again.

"I would ask...what she was thinking of. As she died. Was she thinking of me? Did she...did she regret it? Realise she'd make a mistake? The..." his voice began to thicken. "The stupidest mistake of her life...?"

The Skull Kid wished he had never asked, but was glad to get an answer. He comforted the Deity by rubbing a small part of his back with his tiny straw hand, and whilst he was doing so, began to think of a way that his friend could see his lover again. Initally, he had thought it was impossible. Bringing someone back from the dead was ridiculous. But, maybe they didn't necessarily have to bring her _back._ They could do it the other way around. They could go to her. But _how,_ was the biggest question the Skull Kid had no answer for.

"I'm sorry. For asking, I mean," the Skull Kid sighed. "I really hate when you cry, you know."

The Deity wiped his face with the back of his gloved hand and gave a watery smile. "I haven't cried in years. Perhaps now I am just that bit more emotional. Crying is...it is good for you."

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I like to see you do it."

For some reason, the Skull Kid began thinking about what he had said earlier in Clock Town. If the Deity died in his current form, he would finally pass on to an afterlife. But the Deity had also explained that the mask had to be destroyed as well, and both felt a great deal of dismay when the Skull Kid sadly revealed that Link had the mask, back in Hyrule. Then, he remembered what his friend had said about Stone Tower Temple.

"Fierce Deity...have you ever tried talking to Mado?"

"Talk to her? All the time. Only when I am alone, though."

_There was a legend that people would be able to speak with their dead ones, but it has been a forgotten one with time._

"Well, didn't you say that Stone Tower Temple was a place you could talk to dead people?"

"It is not true, I'm afraid. I've tried. Several times. All to no avail."

"We'll just have to keep trying, then. I don't think it's like you at all to just _give up,_ is it? That's not the Fierce Deity I know! Come on, you're _fierce!_ That means you don't give up!" The Skull Kid stood up to his full height – which was not very tall at all, but the Deity was surprised to see how powerful the Kid looked, even if his power lay only in determination and the want to triumph. "If it kills me, I'm gonna help you see Mado again. I can tell it's bugging you and it's not going to stop bugging you."

The Fierce Deity stared at him in utter shock and surprise. He'd never dreamed of the Skull Kid speaking so vigilantly and so proudly, of finding a woman he did not even know, of going on an adventure that was extremely dangerous; not to mention disturbing. The Deity still had nightmares of the things he had encountered in Ikana Canyon, and Stone Tower Temple was one of them. But he would have laughed at the idea of the Skull Kid being so noble - now that it was reality, he too felt a great determination, contagious from the Kid.

"...thank you, my friend."

The two embraced as best as they could, and the Skull Kid was euphoric to finally, _finally,_ have a real friend.


End file.
